Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

More spice-related arrests being made in Clark County

Once legal, a synthetic form of marijuana is gaining in popularity in Southern Indiana. Law enforcement is reporting an increase of spice-related arrests in recent months.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 11:22 PM EST Nov 30, 2015

More spice-related arrests being made in Clark County

Once legal, a synthetic form of marijuana is gaining in popularity in Southern Indiana. Law enforcement is reporting an increase of spice-related arrests in recent months.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 11:22 PM EST Nov 30, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT NOT HURT. A ONCE LEGAL FORM OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA IS GAINING IN POPULARITY IN SOUTHERN INDNA LAW ENFORCEMENT THERE IS REPORTING AN INCREASE OF SPICE RELATED ARRESTS. WLKY'S LAUREN ADAMS IS LIVE FROM THE CLARK COUNTY JAIL WITH MORE. LAUREN? LAUREN: THE MOST RECENT ARREST HAPPENED THANKSGIVING NIGHT. A MAN, POLICE SAY, THAT BECAUSE HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE, ACTUALLY TRIED RUNNING FROM OFFICERS. POLICE TELL ME IT'S A DANGEROUS DRUG NOT ONLY FOR USERS BUT ARRESTING OFFICERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA REPORTS CROSS MY DESK THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR. LAUREN: BUT EVEN MORE IN RECENT WEEKS. CAPTAIN SCOTTIE MAPLES WITH THE CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THE DRUG KNOWN GAINING POPULARITY. JUST LAST WEEK, THIS MAN, 34-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL GORDON WAS ARRESTED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE MOTEL SIX IN CLARKSVILLE. POLICE RECOVERED CASH, MARIJUANA, HEROIN, AND SPICE. THEY SUSPECTED GORDON WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SPICE BECAUSE OF HIS BEHAVIOR. THE EFFECTS OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA SEEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT GREATER THAN MARIJUANA ITSELF. JUST LIKE IN THIS INSTANCE HERE THE SUBJECT TRIED FLEEING THE SCENE WHILE HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA. WE NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT JUST WITH THE VARIOUS WAYS PEOPLE CAN REACT TO IT. LAUREN: CAPTAIN MATT OWEN WITH NEW CHAPEL EMS SAYS USERS HE'S DEALT WITH BECOMAN AGGRESSIVE. HE SAYS SYNTHETHIC MARIJUANA IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT'S NATURAL COUNTERPART WORSE SIDE EFFECTS AND MORE SERIOUS LONG TERM DAMAGE. IT'S ESSENTIALLY MAN MADE CHEMICALS SPRAYED ON SOME SO OF HERB OR PUT INTO SOME SORT OF VAPORIZER. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT NATURAL, NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO PUT INTO YOUR SYSTEM. LAUREN: CAPTAIN MAPLES ATTRIBUTES THE DRUG'S POPULARITY TO THE FACT IT WAS ONCE LEGAL. OFFICERS HAVE SINCE ERADICATED IT FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT HE SAYS, THERE'S STILL MORE TO BE DONE WHEN IT COMES TO SPICE ON THE STREETS. JUST BECAUSE THE NAME SAYS SYNTHETIC IT'S STILL A DRUG AND WE DEFINITELY DON'T TOLERATE ANY DRUGS IN CLARK COU LAUREN: ANOTHER REASON THIS DRUG IS SO POPULAR ACCORDING TO POLICE WHILE MARIJUANA HAS A DISTINCT ODOR SPICE DOES NOT. WHEN THE SHERIFF TOOK OFFICE BACK IN JANUARY, SPICE USE WAS WIDESPREAD AT THE JAIL. SHERIFF NOEL HAS CRACKED DOWN AND THAT DRUG AND OTHE LONGER A PROBLEM THERE. LIVE IN CLARK COUNTY, LAUREN

More spice-related arrests being made in Clark County

Once legal, a synthetic form of marijuana is gaining in popularity in Southern Indiana. Law enforcement is reporting an increase of spice-related arrests in recent months.